The Workshop component of my teaching was extremely fulfilling with the following topics covered:

Discover Drawing;

Colour - going back to basics;

Abstract Art;

Composition,

Line & Colour with Derwent

2013 will see these workshops continue. I plan to include more topics and offer some one day workshops in my studio each term.

Commissions

2012 has been a very good year for commissioned paintings:

April - Memory Wall

Memory Wall - oil on canvas - 40 x 8" x 8"

May - Paintings for city apartment in Brisbane

September - Deja Bru Cafe

Paris - Deja Bru Cafe - acrylic on linen - 3 x 144" x 144"

October - Wearable Art Hairdressing

Pink Roses with Mirrors - oil on canvas - 1000mm x 1000mm

Plans for 2013

Now that my teaching studio has become more established, I can turn to my personal creative development. Drawing has become part of my artistic practice. I intend using my journals to experiment with mixed media and develop new ways to express ideas and themes that are important to me.

Moving out of the studio is something I would like to do. I need to plan how and where to paint so that is first on my list. Initially, with the heat of Brisbane summer at its highest, I might need to search out a couple of cooler places! (But at least I don't have to contend with snow!)

To my readers in all parts of the world - thank you for visiting Art Matters, it's so encouraging to see the number of visitors growing.

My wish for you this coming year is that you will have happy times with family and friends, good health, and may the creative muse remain by your side all year long...

Sunday, 30 December 2012

I nominated Haidee-Jo Summers artist -ma vie en Couleurs
because I was so impressed with her plein air paintings in all kinds of
weather. Her paintings are fresh, vibrant and of a very high standard. I first came
across her work at the time of the Diamond Jubilee from a link on Making a Mark.
She was one of a number of artists selected to paint the 60th
Jubilee River Pageant. She persevered when others were forced to abandon wet
paintings.

Please go to the link here to read more about this award and
do check Haidee-Jo’s blog posts about her very busy and successful painting
year.

I have tremendous
admiration for plein air painters. It’s something that was, unfortunately, not
feasible in South Africa due to security concerns but certainly possible now
that I am living in Australia. Reading Haidee-Jo’s posts has encouraged me to
make the effort to get out of the studio with my easel and paints in 2013.

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Blogsy is an app which makes blogging from an iPad more streamlined. I found out about the app through Mario Caoile's blog. It allows you to drag photos and videos from a number of different sources - Camera roll, Flickr, Picassa, You Tube etc. possible.

There are many other features which I have yet to explore - slowly, slowly!

Royal Doulton teacup & saucer - pen & ink

Christmas is around the corner and a week's holiday at Noosa on the Sunshine Coast lies ahead. A holiday unit on the river, a beautiful deck, the boat moored nearby - its a perfect opportunity to read, relax and maybe do some drawing.

Thursday, 13 December 2012

As the year gallops to a close, time has run away with me
taking all my good intentions with it, mainly the plan to post at least once a
week. (Don't even talk to me about a daily post - it's never going to happen!)

Well, I haven't done that lately. A commission that has been
in the works for a while came to life and although I’d love to finish the painting before
the Christmas holidays it’s unlikely that will happen.

I've been doing quite a bit of drawing having fallen in love with the Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook. (More about that later)

Seed Pods - graphite on Fabriano

So, I want to share a few links to blogs I have been
following for a while. When you kick back and relax you will have something to
browse through…

Mattias Adolfsson does intricately detailed pen drawings with a hint of watercolour - he has more than a fair share of imagination…

Paper Ponderings has talk about books, paper, calligraphy and wonderful
photographs (and Fiona's a seriously nice person - I met her on a recent studio visit)

I first read Euan Craig’s blog just after the Japanese
Tsunami - he writes so eloquently. He is an Australian potter living in Japan.
Do yourself a favour and scroll back and start reading the posts from March
2011 - this is the link

Finally, if you have a severe case of wanderlust but
no travel fairy to buy your tickets then you will enjoy reading Hecktic Travels
- exquisite photographs and good writing - it will make you want to pack your
bags and go somewhere...